


Wish

by Not_You



Category: The Avengers (2012)
Genre: Cancer, Fluff and Angst, Gen, Make a wish, Parents & Children, Terminal Illnesses
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-05-08
Updated: 2013-05-08
Packaged: 2017-12-10 18:36:25
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 822
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/788939
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Not_You/pseuds/Not_You
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Written for a kinkmeme prompt long since lost, for a Make-A-Wish Foundation kid asking to meet the Hulk.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Wish

Bruce takes a deep, shaky breath, and closes his eyes. He's wearing the polymer Tony made for him so he won't flash this poor kid, but he's still not sure he can explain enough of it to Hulk for this wish to actually be granted.

_Okay, big guy. Nothing is wrong. Nobody is trying to hurt us. It's a safe time. Come on out._

Hulk opens his eyes in a cage, and he's angry, because Banner didn't mention a cage and cages are scary. But then he sniffs the air and it smells like home. This is the safe cage, where he can get out if he just remembers the right buttons. He looks around to see who's there, feeling Banner in the back of his mind, soothing him. He likes that Banner talks to him more now. It helps him figure out what's going on. The cage is clear, too, so he can see the people outside. There's Tony, Tony is good people. So is Steve. He doesn't know about the man and woman standing between them, and that makes him nervous. But between _them_ is a little one. Very little, with skinny arms and legs and a big bald head. It stares at Hulk, but the way Tony does, like it wants to be friends. Hulk stares back.

"HI." It's hard for him to use words, but 'hi' is a short one.

"Hi," the little one says, looking up at him. Hulk presses the buttons to get out, and he can hear Tony telling the woman and the man to take it easy. Able to smell them as the door opens, he can tell they're the little one's parents and that the little one is very, very sick. He snorts and looks to Tony.

"Hey, Big Guy. Hope you don't mind, but Chris here wanted to meet you."

"Hi," the little one says again.

Hulk rumbles, watching the little one. "LITTLE ONE SICK."

"Yeah. I wanted to see you. Up close like this."

Hulk smiles, flinching when the little one's mother flinches in fear. "Hey, be cool," Tony says, "a big green smile is still a smile."

"I hope you don't mind," the little one says.

"HULK NO MIND. HULK COMING OUT NOW. TAKE EASY."

Even the little one's mother laughs a little at that, and everyone seems calmer now. Hulk steps out when the big door opens. The little one looks up and up at him, and Hulk holds out one hand, letting the little one touch it. He does not touch the little one, because it might break. "Wow," the little one says, eyes big in its big head. It rests both its tiny white hands on Hulk's green palm. "Wow," it says again, and Hulk chuckles.

"HULK WANT WALK."

"Oh, hey! Chris, you wanna take a walk with him? He likes to get out when he can."

"Sure, but I'll probably need my wheelchair. I get tired easy."

"HULK CARRY," Hulk offers, and after the little one begs and pleads with its mother, Hulk picks it up. He picks it up so carefully, and sets it on the back of his neck. "HOLD ONTO HAIR."

"Okay." Chris, the little one's name is Chris, Banner says, holds on. Chris is sick and weak but has a strong grip. Hulk knuckles along, hunched forward so it will be harder for Chris to fall. Tony has built him a place to play, and he makes his way there.

"Hey, big guy!" Tony calls. "Don't play without this." He holds up some kind of tangle of straps, and Hulk only goes to him because Banner says this is Very Important. Important like Betty. He lets Tony tie the little one on, and then Hulk can run and play. The little one whoops and screams and laughs as Hulk climbs and makes little jumps that won't jar Chris too much. It feels like forever, just speed and height and fun, but then Chris starts to cough, and they have to stop. Chris coughs so much that Hulk gets worried, and goes and gets Banner, because Banner can help sometimes.

Bruce blinks his eyes open and sits up. Chris is still coughing, turning blue, and his worried father scoops up the tiny, frail frame, and follows Bruce to the nearest med center (they have several) and finds a cough-suppressant inhaler that makes the racking spasms stop. Poor kid doesn't have the energy to waste on stuff like that, and looks up at Bruce in profound relief as the drug takes effect.

"Thank you."

"You're welcome."

He stays all day, and Bruce doesn't mind changing back to the Hulk for his benefit. When it's finally time for Chris to leave he asks for Dr. Banner, though. "I came to see Hulk, but I'm glad I met you too," he says, and Bruce smiles, shaking his clawlike little hand.

"I'm glad I met you, Chris."


End file.
